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Dual Degrees

Students considering interdisciplinary research or dual degree programs have the benefit of attending one of the strongest universities in the nation. The College of Law offers the following established dual degree programs: the JD/PhD in Philosophy, Psychology, or Economics; the JD/MA in American Indian Studies; the JD/MA in Latin American Studies; the JD/MBA; and the JD/Masters in Public Administration; the JD/MA in Gender & Women’s Studies, the JD/MMF in Finance, the JD/MS in Agricultural Resource Economics, and the JD/MPH in Public Health.

Graduates of the JD/PhD programs are well qualified to enter academic life or highly specialized consulting. TheJD/MBAand JD/MPA programs are designed to develop business and policy-trained lawyers and law-trained executives for the public and private sectors. American Indian Studies, Latin American Studies, and Gender & Women’s Studies are designed to train lawyers to practice with particular skill and sensitivity to economic, Indian, Latin American, or women’s concerns respectively. The dual JD/PhD programs, JD/MBA and JD/MPA programs permit participating students to use up to 15 units of law credit towards their graduate degrees and up to 15 units of graduate credit towards the 88 unit total required for the J.D. The duration of the JD/PhD programs is approximately six years, including the dissertation. The duration of the JD/MBA and JD/MPA programs is four years each.

The JD/MMF in Finance prepares students to practice law in specialized business and finance related areas. Students who wish to specialize in one of these business and finance-related areas may see that obtaining the additional credential of the MMF will help them in their careers. The dual degree will accommodate JD students seeking this additional certification. Requirements for the JD include 88 credits. The MMF degree requires 36 units. The dual degree program allows students to count nine (9) units of relevant JD coursework toward the MMF degree and nine (9) units of MMF coursework toward the JD degree. Thus a student must earn a minimum of 103 credits to earn both degrees under the dual degree program.

The JD/MA in American Indian Studies prepares students to provide legal representation to Indian tribes, tribal organizations and individuals on a wide range of matters including civil rights, water rights, gaming, economic development and taxation on Indian lands. A minimum of 27 units of graduate coursework in American Indian Studies, plus nine units of specified law coursework and clinical work, are required for the 36-unit M.A. in American Indian Studies. Students may transfer 15 units of American Indian Studies coursework toward the 88 units required for the J.D. The J.D./M.A. in American Indian Studies is a four year program.

The JD/MA in Latin American Studies prepares students to practice law, particularly in the Southwest border region, with a depth of understanding of Latin American history, culture, and Spanish or Portuguese language skills. A minimum of 21 units of graduate coursework in Latin American Studies, plus 15 units of specified law coursework and clinical work, are required for the 36-unit M.A. in Latin American Studies. Students may transfer up to 12 units of Latin American Studies courses and seminars toward the J.D. degree. The J.D./M.A. in Latin American Studies is a four year program.

JD/MA in Gender and Women’s
Studies prepares students to practice law with an understanding of the historical and cultural dimensions of gender and feminism, as well as the interconnections of gender, law, and public policy, both nationally and internationally. A minimum of 21 units of graduate coursework in Gender and Women’s Studies or other graduate electives, plus 15 units of approved law coursework, is required for the 36-unit MA in Gender and Women’s Studies. Students may transfer up to 15 units of Gender and Women’s Studies courses and seminars toward the JD degree. The JD/MA in Gender and Women’s Studies is a four year program. Students spend the first year of study in the law school.

The JD/MS in Agricultural and Resource Economics prepares students to practice law in the area of environmental policy, where there is an increasing demand for professionals with both legal and analytical-quantitative training. The MS in Agricultural and Resource Economics requires 33 credits. Joint degree students in this program will also receive a Graduate Certificate in Economics, Law and the Environment (ELE). The JD/M. in Agricultural and Resource Economics is a rigorous 4-year program, combining core training in law, a year of core training in microeconomics and econometrics, and two additional years of courses and workshops in environmental law, environmental economics, and other courses in both law and agricultural resource economics.

Typically, dual degree candidates pursue the first year of the law curriculum and the first year of the graduate curriculum consecutively. After completing the first-year curriculum in both fields, candidates select coursework from both departments with the guidance of their graduate advisors and the College of Law faculty member serving as advisor to the dual degree programs. The College consults with the candidates and the appropriate department regarding which first-year program the candidate pursues initially.

Dual degree applicants must apply for admission to the College of Law as well as to the separate graduate program separately, and must meet the application deadlines and testing requirements for each program independently. For additional information on admission to affiliated graduate programs, contact the following offices:

JD/MA in American Indian Studies
Coordinator of Graduate Studies
Tribal Law and Policy Program
American Indian Studies Program
Harvill Building, Room 218
P.O. Box 210076
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona 85721-0076
(520) 621-7108